How Federal Legislation Impacts Child Welfare Service Delivery

This factsheet provides an overview of the process by which legislative actions and policy changes at the Federal level impact State and Tribal child welfare systems and service delivery. Links to pertinent resources are provided for each step of the process; however, the steps described do not always occur in the sequence in which they are listed below.

Step 1: Congress passes and the President signs legislation that creates or amends a federally funded child welfare program.

Enactment of a new act is the result of a long legislative process that begins when a member of the House or Senate introduces a bill to his or her respective legislative body. Only a Member of Congress can introduce a bill, but the idea may be developed by constituents, academics, interest groups, lobbyists, State legislatures, executive branch departments, Federal agencies, and/or the President of the United States.

For more information:

Federal Laws
Children's Bureau, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Provides descriptions of significant Federal child protection, child welfare, foster care, and adoption laws, as well as links to the full text of selected acts and other resources.

Thomas
Library of Congress
Tracks legislative activity in the U.S. Congress and provides links to summaries and full-text versions of bills, the Congressional Record, committee reports, and other resources.

How Our Laws Are Made
Parliamentarian, U.S. House of Representatives
Describes the organization, operation, and legislative process in the House of Representatives.

Enactment of a Law
Parliamentarian, U.S. Senate
Describes the organization, operation, and legislative process in the Senate.